Michael Jordan Dumped by Wizards

JOSEPH WHITE

Published 8:00 pm, Wednesday, May 7, 2003

AP Sports Writer

Michael Jordan isn't used to rejection, and he didn't take it well.

At an acrimonious meeting reflective of a franchise in turmoil, Jordan was shown the door Wednesday by the Washington Wizards. Jordan went in expecting to negotiate his return to the front office, but instead was told by owner Abe Pollin that he was no longer welcome after 3 1/2 unsuccessful seasons.

"Without any prior discussion with me, ownership informed me that it had unilaterally decided to change our mutual long-term understanding," Jordan said in a statement. "I am shocked by this decision, and by the callous refusal to offer me any justification for it."

Jordan hasn't been discarded by a basketball team since he was cut from the varsity as a high-school sophomore, a setback that help motivate him into becoming one of the best players ever.

As if he were intent on making history repeat itself, Jordan quickly set in motion a possible plan to prove the Wizards wrong. It didn't take long before he was on the phone with good friend Robert Johnson, owner of the new Charlotte franchise.

"He just called to say, 'Hey, I wanted to let you know what decision has been made. When you get a chance, let's talk,'" Johnson said. "We're friends. It won't take us very long to get together."

Johnson said Jordan "can play any role he wants to play" with the Charlotte team, which starts play in 2004.

Over the last decade, Pollin's Wizards have been a chronicle of losing and embarrassment, and Wednesday's ugly series of events won't help the team's reputation.

A Wizards source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press that Pollin's decision was based on three factors: player dissension, a franchise still faltering after years of Jordan in charge, and deteriorating relationships throughout the organization.

"While the roster of talent he has assembled here in Washington may not have succeeded to his and my expectations, I do believe Michael's desire to win and be successful is unquestioned," Pollin said in a statement.

Pollin's statement also implied that his decision was made with minority partner Ted Leonsis, saying that: "In the end, Ted and I felt that this franchise should move in a different direction."

However, another team source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the statement was written without Leonsis' consent and that Leonsis was not aware of Pollin's decision until the meeting.

Leonsis, who dined with Jordan on Tuesday night, arrived expecting to discuss Jordan's rejoining the team, the source said. Instead, Pollin opened with a statement saying Jordan would not be welcome back and that is was not open for discussion.

During the 30-minute meeting, Pollin offered Jordan a $10 million severance payment, according to the source, but Jordan turned it down.

Leonsis had no comment.

Jordan, who led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA titles in the 1990s, was the Wizards' president from January 2000 to September 2001 before coming out of retirement to play for them the past two years. His record was just 110-179 as the top decision-maker, a role he kept even after returning as a player.

The last few months under Jordan were particularly upsetting for Pollin, an old-school owner who has shown little tolerance for in-house turmoil.

Jordan and his teammates sniped at each other as the Wizards finished a disappointing 37-45 for the second consecutive year and missed the playoffs again. Players publicly criticized coach Doug Collins, who said they were disrespectful, and recent reports in The New York Times and The Washington Post exposed a front-office rift involving people Jordan hired.

The rest of Jordan's tenure wasn't much better. He botched the firing of coach Gar Heard three years ago and later hired Leonard Hamilton, who went 19-63. As an executive, Jordan tried to run the team from his home in Chicago, leaving a rudderless team to falter on its own.

Hamstrung by the Wizards salary-cap problems, he eventually overhauled the roster and made the team his own. Jahidi White is the only pre-Jordan player left. The biggest flop? Kwame Brown has done little since being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 draft.

Of course, Jordan's biggest personnel move came when he returned as a player. That helped the Wizards sell out every home game the last two seasons, giving Pollin a tidy profit.

This season, Jordan loaded the roster with Jerry Stackhouse, Bryon Russell, Larry Hughes and Charles Oakley in an effort to get to the playoffs one last time, but the chemistry was bad from the start. Players found it awkward sharing the locker room with the person in charge of their contracts, and Jordan's work ethic failed to rub off.

"He's still considered the greatest player to ever play the game of basketball. I don't think anybody can take that away from him," said Detroit Pistons guard Richard Hamilton, a promising young player traded away by Jordan.